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Nivea apologizes for 'White is purity' ad

Empty Nivea cream cans are pictured in a Beiersdorf factory in Hamburg, Germany. (Photo by Joern Pollex/Getty Images)
By Joy Johnston, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
April 5, 2017

Skin-care company Nivea has apologized and pulled an ad after critics complained that it was racist.

The ad appeared on Nivea's Middle East Facebook page. It featured the image of the back of a woman, clothed in white, along with the slogan, "White is purity." The Facebook post caption said: "Keep it clean, keep bright. Don't let anything ruin it."

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Consumers expressed their outrage on social media, calling the ad racist and saying that it promoted the notion of white supremacy.

Nivea responded by pulling the ad and issuing an apology.

According to CNN, it is not the first time that the company has been responsible for controversial ad campaigns. Nivea sparked criticism for its "Re-civilize yourself" ad that ran in Esquire magazine in 2011.

About the Author

Joy Johnston, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
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